Spring-vehicle



(No Model.)

7 J. OFARRELL, Sr.

SPRING VEHICLE.

WITNESSES INVENTGR N. PETERS. Phawmhu m hnn Washington. D. c.

UNHE STATES PATENT @nrrcnt JOSEPH OFARRELL, SE, OF MORRISON, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,205, dated August22, 1882.

I Application filed January 11,1882. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH OFARRELL, Sr., ofMorrison, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Buggies or other Oarriages, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to buggies and other similar wheeled vehicles;and it consists in certain novel arrangements and connections of thesprings, axles, reach, and body of the vehicle, whereby lighter axlescarrying an increased load may be used without springing, a fifth-wheelis dispensed with, the reach is relieved of strain and cannot be struckby the body, which may be hung lower than usual, and the springs have anequalizing action in their support pf the body.

In the accompanying drawings, formin g part of this specification,similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Figure 1 represents an inverted plan of the bottom of a buggybody,together with the frame of the running-gear, including the axles, reach,springs, and other attachments. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical sectionof the same on the line as w in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a rear viewthereof.

A is the front axle, and B the rear one, of the vehicle. 0 is itsbody-bottom, and D D are thesprings. Said springs, which may be of anysuitable construction or shape, are arranged beneath the axles and inline with them, and extend nearly the whole length of the axles, inorder that they may be hung at their ends to the axles near theircollars a a, or in proximity to the hubs of the wheels. This arrangementof the springsDDremovcs weight from the centers of the axles and allowsof lighter axles than usual (although carrying a heavier load) beingused without springing. The bottom of the body 0 is connected to theback spring, D, by two loops, 1) b, on opposite sides of the reach E,and is connected in front by a single loop, f, attached to thereach,which latter is attached at its forward end by a joint, g, havinga vertical axis, to the front spring, D, and at its rear end by clips h,connected by a joint, 6, on the inside, and which has a horizontal axisto the back spring, D. The joint 9 is back of the front axle, and thelatter,which has its joint k connecting it with the frame of therunning-gear in the same plane longitudinally as thejointg, ispreferably arranged in advance of the head-block G. These front jointsact in place of a fifth-wheel, while the back joint, '5, assists inremoving strains from the reach E, and said reach works with the body ofthe vehicle, thereby allowing carriages to be built as low as desiredwithout risk of striking the reach; and it is to such low work that thearrangement of the front axle in advance of the head-block is especiallyapplicable. The jointed connection of the reach E with the front andback springs, D D, as described, adapts it to irregularities of theroad, prevents strain, and, as hereinbefore observed, dispenses with afifth-Wheel, which would be in the way of the body of the vehicle whenworking down.

The double-jointed connection of the front axle at g 70 also reducesfriction and rattle.

Although the construction as described admits of the body of the vehiclebeing hung much lower than usual, which is greatly to be desired, saidbody is not restricted from being hung as high as by any otherconstruction, and there is no possibility of the body striking thereach, no matter how close these two parts may be to one another; orthebody might be placed on the reach without detriment, as the body, reach,and springs all work together, and the springs have an equalizing actionin their support of the body.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the springs D,arranged under the axles, of the reach E, hinged to the said springs andconnected at its forward end to the body 0, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the springs D D, which support the body of thevehicle, of the reach E, connected with the front spring by a joint, g,having a vertical axis, and with the back spring by a joint, '5, havinga horizontal axis, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the springs D D and the reach E, jointedlyattached to said springs, of the body of the vehicle connected in itsrear to the back spring and in front to the reach, whereby the body,springs, and reach all work in unison, essentially as specified.

7 4. The combination, with the front axle, A, wheels turn, the reach E,connected by joints E0 arranged in front of the head-block and con- 9and t with said springs, and the body 0, connected by the joint 70 tothe same, of the front nected by a loop,f, in front to the reach, andspring, D, arranged under the said axle and at its back end by loops 1)b to the back spring,

5 connected by joint 9 to the reach E, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the axles A B, of

the subjacent springs D D, connected with the axles near their ends onwhich the hubs of the essentially as herein set forth.

JOSEPH OFARRELL, SR. Witnesses:

J AS. OFARRELL, GEORGE CLARK.

